Cherry shrimp · 2 questions
The questions cherry shrimp keepers actually ask — clustered from real freshwater communities and answered the Finfern way: calm, honest, water-first.
Yes, with the right fish — but most fish will eat baby shrimp, and some will eat adults. Peaceful nano fish (small rasboras, ember tetras) are the safest tankmates; anything with a mouth big enough will pick off shrimplets, so a colony survives best in a heavily planted tank or a shrimp-only setup. Never house them with anything boisterous or predatory.
🔢 Stocking & tankmates
The two usual culprits are copper and instability. Copper — found in many fish medications and some plant fertilisers — is toxic to all shrimp and snails, so check every label and treat sick fish in a separate tank. Beyond that, shrimp need rock-stable parameters and enough minerals (GH) to moult properly, so add them only to a mature, seasoned tank and avoid sudden changes.
🩺 Health💧 Water & chemistry
These apply to every tank, cherry shrimp included — tap through to the full answer.
Short answers from The Finfern Team — kind, general guidance, not a diagnosis. When something looks wrong, test your water first, and for a serious case see a fish-savvy vet. Deeper detail lives in the cherry shrimp care guide.
